Amusement device



Nov. 7, 1933. w. B. cHucK AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June 18, 1932 E M m u M 56244, yQMiv ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1933 7 UNITED STATES PATENT- sp n J 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an instructor toy or amusement device for forming smoke rings from the smoke emitted by a burning cigarette, cigar or tobacco pipe.

It has always required considerable skill and practice on the part of a smoker to enable him to blow smoke rings. In fact to the child it is still considered to be quite an accomplishment and no end of enjoyment to have a smoker blow series of smoke rings out into the air where they gradually increase in size and diminish in color until they completely fade from view. Therefore, because of their lack of skfll many persons and their young admirers are deprived of this innocent pastime.

With the foregoing in mind, it is the purpose of my invention to provide a mechanical means whereby the smoke from a burning cigarette, cigar or pipe may be emitted into the air in the form of rings, each of which will be as perfectly formed and remain in View equally as well as any which may be blown from the mouth of a smoker.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for blowing smoke rings which will require absolutely no skill or practice on the part of the smoker to create endless numbers of rings and to direct their paths of flight so that one ring may be made to pass through another as it spins outwardly fro-m the device.

Several embodiments of the present invention are illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box provided with means for holding a lighted cigarette and for emitting rings of the smoke formed by the burning tobacco of the cigarette;

Figure 2 is a substantially sectional view of the box;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the blank from which the box is folded;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of another form of the invention embodying a telescopic box;

Figure 5 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of the box shown in Figure 4;

"' Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, A denotes a rectangular boxformed preferably from a blank 13 of the approximate shape outlined in Figure 3. The box is preferably collapsible when not in use so to accommodate itself to easy packing requirements.

In its most simple form the box consists of a bottom and top 10, two side .wails 11, a front panel 12 and a back wall 13, the latter being connected to the top and bottom walls along the lines of the folds while the sides are free as illustrated in Figure l. The material from which the box is made may be cardboard, thin sheets of wood or metal, it being desirable that the back wall 13 is allowed to flex when tapped or otherwise caused to bow inwardly at its mid-portion, as illustrated in Figure 2. It is contemplated that when the back wall 13 is caused to flex inwardly a cushion of air will be created Within the box, which air will form a current and take the form of a revolving ring, R, as it is driven outwardly through an opening 14 in the mid portion of the front wall.

In order to utilize this ring-like revolving current of air as a carrier for smoke in the formation of smoke rings, I provide the bottom wall 10 of the box with an eyelet or ring holder 15 capaso ble of having a cigarette or cigar 16 projected therethrough and of holding the same in position to bring the lighted end at apoint approximately in the center of the interior of the box.

This form of my invention is operated by tapping gently with the finger on the outer face of the back wall preferably 13 at a point corresponding with the center thereof, and each time the back wall receives an impact it will flex inwardly slightly and cause the smoke accumu- 9c lated in the interior of the box from the burningcigarette to be picked up and carried by the revolving current of air being driven out through I the opening 14 in the front wall 12. A quick succession of such taps will produce a rapid emission of smoke rings which will gradually. enlarge in diameter and finally fade away.

In Figures 4 and 5, the purposes of my invention are accomplished by means of a telescopic box made up of two parts 17 and 18, the latter forming the front member and having its open end movable into the open end of the back part 1'7. The front of the part 18 has an opening 14a and the bottom wall has a longitudinally disposed slot 10a to accommodate an upstanding cigarette holder 15a mounted in the bottom wall of the back part 1'7, which holder acts not only to support the cigarette but to prevent the front part 18 from projecting itself entirely out of the back part 1'7. The two parts 17 and 18 are yieldably 113' extended axially of each other by means of a helical spring 19 so that in order to operate the device it is only necessary to press or telescope the two parts of the box against the spring 19, whereby the necessary cushion of air will be created and the revolving current carrying the smoke will be emitted from the front opening 14a.

In Figure 6, a box is supported on the bowl of a tobacco pipe 20, the bottom wall of the box being provided with tapered sides 21 which terminate ina flanged opening 22, the back wall and orificed front wall of this box being the same as those of the box in Figure 1.

It may be more desirable to provide means for tapping the back of the box and in Figure '7 I have illustrated one embodiment of what may be termed a hammer which comprises an elastic band 23 stretched across the outer side of the back wall and provided with a wood or metal head 24 arranged to engage the center of the back wall when released after being drawn backwardly away from the rear wall.

It is also to be noted that my invention contemplates a construction wherein a plurality of outlets may be provided for the formation of the smoke rings. These may be distributed upon one or more of the faces of the box. ,If the smoke container be not box shaped, the ring forming outlets may be distributed as desired. It is also to be noted that while the best results are ob- 'tained by the flexing of the back wall when the smoke container is box shaped, that nevertheless any of such walls or faces may be tapped or flexed with satisfactory results. In other words, while the impact is preferably imparted to the wall opposite the ring forming opening, nevertheless the impact receiving member may be otherwise located.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same is operated, what I claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for forming smoke rings, comprising a hollow body folded from a single blank having one Wall provided with an opening and a wall directly opposite which is fixed at its ends only, the sides being free, whereby the mid portion flexes inwardly when tapped from the back.

2. A device for forming smoke rings, as claimed in claim 1, including means mounted directly in a wall adjacent the back and front walls for holding a smoke producing source.

3. A device for forming smoke rings, comprising a hollow box folded from a single blank having bottom, top, side and front and back walls, the back wall being attached to top and bottom walls and free along its opposite sides, and an eyelet in the bottom Wall to support a smoke producing element in the interior of the box, the front wall having an opening in the center thereof through which the smoke rings are emitted when the back wall is flexed inwardly.

WILLIAM B. CHUCK. 

